BATON ROUGE - LSU wide receiver Rueben Randle is a self-described quiet guy. But on game days, he admitted, he turns into a different person.

And as they say, watch out for the quiet ones.

"He's a real quiet guy, to be honest with you," said LSU quarterback Jarrett Lee. "I can't say I've ever seen him get excited. He's a confident kid, he stays focused, and he always wants the ball in his hands in big-time situations. He's a fun guy to be around."

The 6-foot-4, 207-pound sophomore leads LSU's receiving corps this season with 469 yards and three touchdowns on 28 receptions.

Randle's three touchdowns have all gone for 30 yards or more. He caught a 51-yard pass from Jefferson against North Carolina and also a 39-yard halfback pass from tailback Spencer Ware against Auburn.

LSU quarterback Jordan Jefferson describes Randle as a receiver with a big body and great hands.

"He's a fast, shifty guy. He's just a target for this offense," Jefferson said.

Randle has stepped up big in the last two games, with six catches for 73 yards against Auburn and three receptions for 125 yards against Alabama. Two of his catches against Alabama arguably changed the tone of the game.

The Tigers' offense could best be described as anemic in the first half, mustering only three points and 95 yards against the Crimson Tide defense. But in the final moments of the second quarter, LSU displayed signs of life.

Jefferson had just completed his previous two passes for 16 yards, finally putting the offense into a rhythm.

On second-and-1 from the LSU 39-yard line, Jefferson targeted Randle with only 21 seconds left in the half. Randle dropped the pass and the Tigers went into the locker room a few plays later still down 7-3.

The play could have been the defining moment of the game for Randle if offensive coordinator Gary Crowton lost confidence in him. Senior wide receiver Terrence Toliver and Jefferson told Randle to shake it off.

"That affects you as a receiver if you drop a ball and they don't come back to you," Toliver said. "I said ... just keep your head up, because I know how it feels."

Randle said he doesn't get too aggressive in asking for the ball, but in certain situations he knows he has to "open up his mouth a little bit."

The moments after the dropped pass certainly could be called one of those situations. Randle took matters into his own hands and talked to Crowton at halftime.

He told Crowton he could still be counted on, and Crowton listened. In the second half, he dialed up three plays for Randle.

"You don't want to make a drop like that," Lee said. "At halftime he was still Rueben. He didn't have his head down. He was still wanting the ball and asking Coach Crowton for it."

Sensing the offense needed a change, Crowton installed new plays during halftime, the biggest of which went to Randle.

Jefferson hit Randle over the middle at the 45-yard line, and Randle blew past Alabama safety Mark Barron for a 75-yard touchdown.

"That was in a cover-2 look," Jefferson said. "The safety was in a bind to choose (Randle or wide receiver James Wright). Both of the guys were wide open. He chose the outside guy. Rueben made a good cut up the middle, and I just had to keep him in stride."

Jefferson said the touchdown didn't just give the offense the momentum had been missing, but also resonated with him personally. His last touchdown pass went to Randle against North Carolina.

"He made a good play and got the touchdown for us. My emotions just took over everything. That's probably the most emotional I've been this season."

Randle got redemption late in the game for that earlier drop. He caught a critical pass from Lee with a little less than three minutes left in the fourth quarter.

LSU led the Crimson Tide 24-21 when Lee came off the bench in place of an injured Jefferson. The Tigers needed to run out the clock, but they faced third-and-13 on their own 20.

If the Tigers had punted on the next play, Alabama would have likely gotten prime field position and one more chance to win the game. Randle and Lee had other ideas.

Lee stepped up in the pocket and completed a 47-yard pass to a wide-open Randle. The Alabama safety followed LSU wide receiver Russell Shepard, which allowed Randle to get open.

The play put the dagger into the Crimson Tide. The Tigers eventually punted the ball, but Alabama had only 18 seconds left on its own 14-yard line.

The Crimson Tide could only muster one completion before time ran out.

"We had been working on that play all week in practice, and Rueben had been getting open." Lee said. "The one he dropped in the first half was the same play. It worked out for us."

"I knew he was going to be there and we just had to get it in his hands. ... We had confidence in Rueben coming out after halftime. He's just so football smart, and he's athletic and wants the ball."